Visiting the United States for pleasure can be an enriching experience. However, the United States government requires that visitors staying for an extended period of time apply for a tourist visa. This document will allow you to travel and explore the country for a determined period of time

Know the qualifications for a United States tourist visa. You do not only have to be a person visiting the country for pleasure to qualify. Tourist visas are awarded to those looking at American colleges and universities, visiting sports teams, volunteer programs by charitable organizations, receiving medical treatments or attending a convention.

Visit the United States visa application website. You can perform this by either typing in search parameters into a search engine or by clicking on the link in the Resources section.

Complete the application online. This will take about an hour and requires that you give information about your current residence and plans for travel through the United States.

Have an accurate plan of your timeline and anticipated travels. While not every applicant is required to disclose this information, it is a wise plan to have these documents prepared in case you are asked. This will also help the visa department know how long to issue you your tourist visa.

Prepare for a security clearance as well. Border security is at a heightened state in the United States which means you may be required to submit personal information in order to have your history investigated. This process can take a large amount of time and it is wise to apply long before your planned trip.